Playing with Hearts
by Manuca
Summary: SasuSaku.NejiTen.NaruHina.InoShika] The boarding allgirl's school go on a summer trip in order to socialize with the opposite sex aka boys. When the first impression is not good, chaos is for them. AU
1. Hating Lilies

**Disclaimer:** Not even the clouds (they belong to Shikamaru). All copyright to Kishimoto Masashi. This disclaimer is for all chapters. There's no point suing me.

**MUST READ:** EDITED. No ninja stuff. OOC-ness from characters. The characters haven't met before (apart Neji and Hinata who are cousins).

**A/N:** Thanks _so much_ **_Yachtzee_ **for the beta!

**Playing with Hearts**

**01. Hating Lilies**

"Tomorrow is the final day before the trip. Don't forget your money, passport, ID and extra money for souvenirs, in addition to your baggage. You must go in uniform when we visit historical places, but otherwise, you are allowed to wear whatever you like. And I'll tell again; this trip is not a vacation for slackers; it's for educational purposes.. The school was generous enough to permit this trip, seeing as this is the last year for you before college. Don't waste the time in—"

Anko-sensei, their teacher, was lecturing them again for the millionth time. At the end of every day, she'd remind them about the money and praise for the school.

White Lily All Girls School was a very popular boarding school known for having first class girls, notable academics and athletics. The school also offered the best scholarship in Konoha.

They only lost in popularity to their opposite gender 'brother school', because _their_ school's director was very famous for being very social and writing his porn books.

It wasn't always that the school had an end-of-the-year grade-exclusive trip. That year was special because, as they liked to put it, the school was 'much praised, and we must show our gratitude'. Which was a lie, basically, because the trip is to save the school's reputation. If the coordinator refused the boys' school's offer, they'd officially lose the place for the best school of the year.

"And, before I finish, the boys' school is paying for the—"

Anko-sensei had talked for fifteen minutes now. It was a new record. She talked and talked until the bell rang.

FINALLY!

Today, the seniors were officially graduated.

Well, almost, anyway.

* * *

"Sakura! Wait, Sakura!" Ino ran to catch up with her best friend, her long blonde hair streaming behind her. They were meeting outside the school grounds to plan the night, over at Sakura's house, so that they could arrive together the next day. 'Sakura must be daydreaming,' thought Ino, as she pushed people away to make way for herself through the corridor. "Hey! Big forehead girl! Don't you dare ignore me!"

At this, everyone in the corridor stopped and looked at Sakura, the school representative's, reaction.

The others didn't flinch when Sakura turned and gave Ino a sharp remark, seeing the two were in the school for more than five years. But they knew it was a way to show their friendship. It'd been like that since they started competing for the best grades and for the teacher's attention, way back when. But besides the rivalry, they were best of friends.

They left together and met with the others in the nearby park. The motto _walking makes the perfection of the body_ led them to walk, inside of drive. They didn't need a ride, anyway. The park was very close to their dormitories.

Upon arriving there, Ino and Sakura saw Tenten, Hinata, and Temari, waiting in their usual spot: the bench beside the small lake. The girls waved, and the three other girls made room for them to join them on the bench.

"Ok, so who's going for sure?" Sakura asked after opening a notebook and pen. She wrote the girls' name and separated them by rows. She was always the class rep, even outside of class. Ino, Hinata and Tenten raised their hands while Temari shook her head.

"Why not, Temari?" Tenten asked curiously.

"My parents are sending me with Kankurou to a business conference. Gaara is the only one going… It's too bad. I wanted to go with you guys," she answered. They nodded in understanding.

"And who's going to Sakura's today?" Ino asked, referring to the mini-sleepover they were having.

"I'm not going," Hinata told them. They could understand. Hinata's father was very strict on her. It took all the girls _and_ Hinata to convince her father almost the whole month to let her go on the trip. Sakura even had to bribe Hinata's cousin, Neji, to convince her father.

"Then it's settled. Be at Sakura's at five…it's the last day of cheerleading. Wish me luck choosing the next captain," Ino said. She stood up and brushed herself off. "I better go. See you later." She waved goodbye, and ran off.

"I should go too…I'm leaving in half an hour," Temari said, sadly.

"What are you complaining at? You're going to Europe for a month!" Tenten replied. Temari grinned and shrugged. After exchanging affectionate hugs and farewells, Temari left.

The other three nodded and made a telepathic agreement; they'd go for the park ice-cream shop.

* * *

"I wish they could change the uniforms. It's _so_ sick to use this skirt," Tenten complained while they walked to the ice-cream shop. "And the shirt is white…I'm glad they allow tops underneath the shirt... Imagine if this gets wet?"

The girls nodded, "I think that jeans would be a good option…and maybe blue shirt?" Hinata suggested while they entered and sat looking at the menu.

"I don't know...I think they could change the skirt to jeans but the shirt would remain white with the grey lily school symbol. How corny…and worse, the uniform doesn't even match my hair." Sakura sighed. They giggled and asked for ice creams.

"Don't worry…Next year, hopefully, we'll enter college and won't have to wear uniforms anymore," Tenten said. "And what's with the socializing trip? If you guys didn't insist, I wouldn't have gone… But I guess a trip _might_ be relaxing." Tenten took a spoon of her vanilla with chocolate chip ice cream and sighed happily.

"It's not a trip for slackers, Tenten! The school was generous enough to allow this," Sakura said, mimicking Anko-sensei rudely. The girls burst of laughing.

"I wonder how Ino's doing with the cheerleading practice?" Hinata asked.

"She'll be fine," Sakura waved her hand in the air motioning not to worry.

* * *

"One, two, three – turn!" Ino shouted to her team. This would be her last practice, sadly. She wouldn't even participate in the presentation.

"Four, five, six, seven, turn and bow and pompoms to the air!"

She was leading what she hoped was the perfect cheerleading dance. She had been training an hour per day to make them win, just so she could prove she was the best leader ever.

"And eight, nine and ten! Slip – and turn - pompoms shaking – raise the arms – turn left – turn right – jump - pompoms up – split – catch pompoms and END!" She gave the last whistle blow. Today the practice was lightened. She needed to end soon.

"Girls…as sad this is, I'll be in college, hopefully, by the next competition. As many of you know, now is the time for choosing a new leader," Ino said to the cheerleaders seated around her. "It was really hard choosing the next leader since I must say, you guys are all pretty great, but… I choose Moegi."

"Ehh? Why Moegi? She's so clumsy and is always messing the steps," a girl asked.

"Because I said so," Ino said firmly. "Even if she mistakes, she has a great memory for the steps and has the ability to learn. If you have something against that, re-think it. If you still don't like what I chose, then you aren't able to cope with this team, and that's too bad!" They nodded.

"Then, new captain Moegi, come and make this official!" Ino encouraged Moegi as she smiled shyly and stood in front of the girls.

"Now. This year, we'll win for Ino, because she helped us a lot!"

The girls cheered.

After the girls decided to grab a drink, Ino was reading to leave when she heard Moegi shouting at her. When she turned, she saw Moegi panting by her side, blurting out between gasps, "Ino, thanks for believing in me!"

"Don't worry," Ino winked with a smile, "if you have any trouble, then give me a call and maybe I call help. I must go now…I need to pack my stuff and leave to my friend's house. Ja!" Ino told her and walked home.

* * *

"See you tomorrow, Hinata!" Tenten and Sakura shouted as they waved good-bye to Hinata, whom was going to the other direction. Hinata waved back.

"Ne, Sakura…I'll rush to my house, and pack. Then I'll catch you guys," Tenten said.

"You haven't packed yet?" Sakura asked.

Tenten grinned sheepishly, "Not yet, but I'll be quick. Ja!" She waved and ran home, who was two blocks from Sakura's.

Sakura sighed at her friend's irresponsibility and walked home herself. She prepared the room where the girls were staying, the kitchen, and her room (which was a mess). She separated her bags, money and all the required belongings for the trip.

She was drying her hair when the doorbell rang. "Coming!" she called. Hurriedly, she rushed downstairs and looked through the peeping glass. She saw Tenten and Ino smiling on her doorstep, and opened the door.

"Come in, the house is all ours." She smiled and told them to put the stuff in the guest room and went to prepare something to eat.

They were in Sakura's room gossiping about the latest news — the boys from the school they were traveling with — when Sakura walked in with the food.

"I managed to ask Tsunade-sensei about the other school and she told me to be careful because we can expect almost anything from those guys," Sakura informed them as she joined into the conversation.

"What about the teachers?" Ino asked, eager to know if there were any hot teachers.

Sakura replied, "Well, two are perverted, but very famous for their good moods. Another is a cigarette addict. And, oh, and this is what I thought the weirdest; this teacher was all about 'youth this' and that. Very strange, don't you think?"

"My dad has friends whose sons are in that school. They say they are very polite, and well-known among the girls from mixed schools. They're supposed to be gentlemen, socialized and have great personalities," Tenten told them. When she referred to '_personality'_, she meant for '_money_'.

"Really? Then I'll love to meet them!" Ino and Sakura squealed. Tenten just giggled.

"I wonder how their _boarding_ school let the boys go out. I mean, how would the girls know them if they, technically, can't get out of the school?" Ino said, after a while.

"I know. At Lily's, we're only allowed to the park and that's when we are on break. Thank God we can live in our own homes now, not those dormitories," Sakura said.

While they were attending the school, it was required that they lived in the dormitories. They are only allowed out for an hour or so, granted the principal gave them permission. On vacation, they'd go home and stay there until school started again, repeating all over.

Their school had pretty much nothing but rules.

"Sakura, we are home!" Sakura's mom called from downstairs.

"Welcome back, mom!" Sakura said, standing up. The other two followed her lead, and stood up as well, and Sakura took them to meet her parents.

"Good evening, Mrs. and Mr. Haruno," they greeted.

"Girls, it's time to go to bed. If you three want to wake up, get ready and leave early you better go to sleep now," Mrs. Haruno told them.

The girls nodded and went back to Sakura's room.

"Man, I wish my mom would quit that superior act," Sakura complained when the girls went to the guest room to sleep.

* * *

The girls were in the airport, wearing the uniform shirt and jeans (the teachers had given permission for the jeans).

They had done their hair early that morning, and had caught a ride on Sakura's limo. They were in a line waiting for the teachers, Tsunade-sensei and Kurenai-sensei, to finish the role call.

They were going to Konoha Inn, a five star hotel reserved just for them. It was about a two-hour ride away from Konoha on bus. Yes…_bus riding_. How _plain_.

"And that's all the girls. Please, without pushing, go and sit on the bus," Kurenai-sensei told them. She was very stressed, complaining a lot because she was chosen to accompany the girls on the trip, when she could just enjoy being at home watching TV alone.

Ino and Sakura sat in the middle (switching the window seat every hour) while Hinata and Tenten parallel to them. In the first hours they messed with the back girls, then gossiped and imagined how would be the springs.

Then, after tiring of this, each one got something to do: Hinata read a book, Tenten played her Nintendo DS ((c) to Nintendo), Ino read _Teen_ magazine and Sakura listened to her Discman.

**

* * *

Boys School**

"Keep it down! Keep it down!" Asuma-sensei shouted at the boys. All of them were fairly hyperactive, except for a particular group of boys who remained placid and reserved. When the boys quieted down, Asuma started talking.

"Right, that's the way! Now, take your stuff and get in the bus!" The boys, pushing one another to get in first, were entering the bus to get the best spot — the back seats.

The pushing and yelling got louder and louder, and Asuma had to blow the whistle thousand of times before they settled down and noticed him. "I want an _organized_ row and start entering the bus, in a _civilized_ manner," Asuma said sternly. It was so hard working with eighteen year old kids with mind of ten year olds.

When everyone was inside the bus, Asuma tried making the row call but decided against it… It would be waste of time and would be a killer to his voice box. The more popular students were seated in the back (by sheer force, they had kicked out the kids who were there previously), the cooler, more anti-social students were two seats from them, the noisy ones in the middle and the nerds in the front with the teachers.

Funny, how these things happened so frequently.

They stood there for about fifteen minutes until someone noticed they weren't going anywhere and inquired as of why. Gai-sensei answered that, "Kakashi, that stupid bastard, has still not arrived."

At this, everyone resumed messing around again. It would take hours until their teacher arrived. The teachers were talking about Kakashi's lateness.

"Gai…You could have told Kakashi the bus was leaving at three and not four. Maybe we need to wait an hour more until he appears," Asuma complained.

"Well…we were leaving at seven, so I thought three hours before he'd be on time," Gai-sensei answered thoughtfully.

"Don't worry, he'll appear any time now," the principal, Jiraiya, told them with a nonchalant laugh and a loose wave of the hand.

"And how would you know?" Asuma asked suspiciously. Jiraiya attempted to suppress a perverted grin, but failed miserably.

"Well…Today _was_ the release of Icha Icha vol. 9 (a.k.a the continuation for the worse cliffhanger ever), but I canceled that because of the trip," Jiraiya told them.

"Your point?" Asuma asked.

"He'll come here to ask for the copy," Gai told him, hiding his face with his hands to sigh in embarrassment for having such a friend.

"Yes! Considering the bookstore opens at seven, he'll be here right about now…" Jiraiya said, seating himself down comfortably. The two teachers nodded. It made sense.

After ten minutes, there was Kakashi panting in the bus door, looking inside the bus.

"Ah! Finally, now we can leave, driver…" Jiraiya told the driver while he pushed Kakashi inside.

"Why was the book canceled?" Kakashi asked Jiraiya, his sole eyebrow raised. Jiraiya just looked at him then took an orange book (with a prohibited sign in the back) from inside his bag. When he saw Kakashi's expression, Jiraiya laughed.

"Consider it an early—" Kakashi wasn't even paying attention to Jiraiya; he was already focused on the book.

* * *

"Why are they late?" Sakura asked her teacher.

"I don't know…Let's get inside and leave the stuff ready," Tsunade told the girls with a sigh, checking her watch for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

"Oh…By the way, Shizune is in the nursery room if you guys need _anything,_" Kurenai told them (referring to girls with periods or PMS).

"Before you guys leave, please remember to come back quickly to meet the boys. Oh, and it's a four girls bedroom, by the way. And remember, breakfast only after the boys arrive," Tsunade informed them. Having already heard this beforehand, the girls left.

The girls were in the third floor. Hinata and Ino chose a room almost besides the bathroom, because they were the first to get up and get ready in the morning, and because Hinata woke up frequently in the middle of the night.

They arranged their clothes in the wardrobe, took a quick shower, put bikinis underneath the clothes, and then finally left to meet the guys. They thought they looked quite good in their clothes — and of course, since they were meeting boys, that could always be to their advantage.

When they arrived in inn lodge they could only gape at the noisy boys introducing themselves. After re-looking at the _supposed_ polite and gentleman boys they spotted some excluded … HOT … guys.

* * *

"Yosh, kids! We arrived!" Gai shouted, to get the boys' attention. They arrived an hour late (Kakashi's fault for his delay, pit stops, stopping to shout at them for the huge noise, etc.).

When arriving there, they only saw few girls. So Lily School was afraid to socialize? The teachers smirked at Tsunade, whom was waiting patiently for them.

After two minutes, girls came like a fever; there were _plenty_ of them. And pretty girls, to boot.

Gai-sensei started introducing himself and the hyper students as well (then they'd re-introduce again just for fun and to anger them).

Asuma counted again and saw that it wasn't that much of girls; in total there was twenty-one without counting the teachers.

Then, coming from the stairs appeared another four girls…whom were gaping at the rowdy boys and then drooling at the cool guys…

'Why am I not shocked?' Asuma thought and sighed. It was a rather common occurrence.

Then something happened that he didn't expect; the girls turned their heads and went to introduce themselves to the _noisy kids_. _Not_ the cool guys.

Asuma checked the sky. It wasn't falling down, he didn't think.

The cool kids just ignored it when the girls were pushing each other to just introduce themselves (and maybe touch their hands).

The four girls came and introduced to Asuma as 'Sakura' (the pink haired girl), '…Tenten' (the two buns told him without caring), 'H-hinata' (the girl with short hair) and then:

"Yamanaka Ino, nice meeting you sensei," a blonde told him, "I wanted to ask…who are those?" She asked while pointing to the cool guys.

Asuma sighed. Just as he suspected.

**

* * *

"Now…we'll go and greet the teachers then greet whoever greets us, okay?" Sakura told them after recovering from the shock she had with those hot guys.**

The girls nodded and introduced to each sensei. Ino, Sakura and Tenten remember what they heard about the teachers. They had just confirmed that Tsunade's word were indeed true.

The last teacher, the cigarette addict, was friendly to them. At first, the girls were shocked to see Hinata stuttering but then, when Ino asked directly who were those guys were, they had mind heart attack. How could Ino ask that? They decided not to let be played with guys from this school!

"I see… I see… The one with black eyes and looks like a black porcupine is Uchiha Sasuke, star player. The white eyed, I assume you guys know he's Hyuuga Neji, Hinata's cousin, is the kendo star and second best in his academic notes. Bored expression is Nara Shikamaru, IQ of 200 and lazy ass but first in academic notes. Red-haired Gaara, school maintainer and newspaper coordinator. Coat guy, Aburame Shino, biology representative, won the competition for the school. And there's also one more guy…But he's sociable. Uzumaki Naruto, hyper blond. Over there," Asuma introduced while pointing to each one.

Ino and the girls nodded, asked for Asuma's name and left to greet Naruto. Asuma thought that the cool guys were loosing their 'coolness' to the hyper crowd. Sakura was the first one to introduce herself to Naruto. Naruto was really kind with the girls and pretty funny (but loud as well).

Then, there was Lee, who instantly declared his undying love for Sakura, whom just smiled a bit but kept away every time Lee came near her. She frequently gave him a diseased look.

And lastly, there was Kiba and his dog, Akamaru (how they allowed the dog to enter, no one knows) who happily entertained the girls.

Tsunade called for breakfast and the girls went to sit with the boys. It was nice to talk to them — having just been derived of boy companionship for over four years, it was a relief to finally converse with a few again.

**

* * *

Sasuke noted that Naruto and the others found some girls to stay with. Those girls didn't even try to talk to them (not that they were going to, anyway).**

Sasuke glanced at Neji and saw (or interpreted) the same look in his eyes; confusion — but still the same look of nonchalance. What happened to all the girls drooling over them? What happened to the girls that came crawling to their feet to touch their hands?

_NOT_ that he cared.

Shikamaru only told the two to join them (Gaara and Shino didn't mind, they could always choose some other girl). They sat in the far back (avoiding eating near those crazed fan girls).

"I saw that they didn't come to talk with us…" Sasuke started.

"And they choose Lee," Neji stated flatly. He did not take lightly that he had lost to _Lee_, of all people, for popularity.

"…They talked about us with Asuma-sensei. If you noticed, Asuma-sensei was pointing at us when they were with him. They just ignored our coolness. We might want to do something about that." Shikamaru told them the game plan, so they could get back their status.

They saw that the group of girls and the guys left and talked to Tsunade (Jiraiya's longest friend and rival) about something they couldn't hear.

They then followed the group and soon found they were heading to the pool. It wasn't that sunny outside but a swim would do something good. They heard the girls shouting something about a towel and sun lotion and then they left.

* * *

"I don't know you girls noticed but those guys were following us," Tenten stated as soon as they reached their room. The girls nodded, and exchanged amused snickers.

"Why were you stuttering, Hinata?" Sakura asked when they calmed down.

Hinata became beet red but answered, "I have some trouble speaking with guys…my thoughts are organized but when I need to speak, it gets confused…" The girls nodded in understanding.

"Alssoooooooo…I saw that you keep blushing when Naruto talks to you, Hi-na-ta," Ino teased her.

Hinata blushed more. "He's really…c-cute…and he's so confident when talking, never afraid if he makes mistakes…" she told them.

"Don't worry… But," Sakura said with a serious tone that the girls paused to look at her, "if you marry him, I want to be the maid of honor."

She winked and the girls laughed. Hinata blushed.

"Then, I'll be yours and Lee-san's honor maid," Ino commented, and smirked when Sakura shrieked that she and Lee were 'just friends'.

"But anyway Hinata, if Naruto hurts you; I'll personally kick his ass," Tenten assured her confidently while the girls supporting her comment.

"Thanks…" Hinata said.

When they arrived in the pool area, it was full of students already. So much for peace. They spotted the guys and waved at them, trying to make their way through the crowd to them, but there was a huge amount of girls surrounding someone and taking all the space to walk. The girls were pushing aside the squealing girls when someone pushed them inside the cold pool.

When they came out to reach for breath, they saw none other than those cool (but hot) guys…smirking at them.

And to their surprise, the guys walked away before they could even say a thing. Without apologizing.

They were _so_ dead.

**

* * *

**

**A/N:** There! What do you guys think? Uff…I had so much trouble writing this xx Please review! Also, if there's a lover of the NejiTen couple, please read my fic 'Step by Step' this is focused on them!

**A/N2:** Thanks for Yachtzee! I'm in the (slow) rocess of writting the next chap, so don't worry - I haven't quit this!


	2. Silent Planning

**A/N:** Thanks so much for the reviews. I want to make a special thanks to **Aries Stephastone** because she helped me realize something. Also, reviews response in the bottom!

**_READ IMPORTANT:_** When I wrote that the girls didn't want to be played in the guys hands and then they left to talk to Naruto and the others there was a misunderstanding (from my part): the girls didn't want to be played by guys that _thinks highly_ of them and who thinks they are just some kind of _entertainment_ (like the cool guys). They want to avoid them so they won't get hurt. Maybe it was OOC from Ino and Sakura's part to do it so, but in this fic, this is the reality. But remember, this is a SasuSaku/InoShika/NejiTen/NaruHina fic!

**EDIT:** I fixed many mistakes. Maybe now its better to organize.

**02. Silent Planning**

After the girls got shoved in the water and came out, they wanted revenge but didn't know what to do. So they just forgot that for a while (besides, they were receiving death glares from the boys fan-girls who were like 'NOOO they touched you! Why them?').

They were in lunch. It was so funny having the guys around, they were always making them laugh.

They left with the guys to another place to talk. They had some stuff in common with them. Lee stopped with the heart-thing with Sakura, seeing her as a friend (maybe it was just so Sakura could be normal around him). Naruto kept flirting with random girls that passed their tables but would never talked to them again (it was just a compliment). Ino and Tenten were planning to play something after they ate. Hinata was just petting Akamaru and Kiba kept talking to her about animals (most of the time about dogs).

After lunch they left to relax sometime because they were tired. The girls left to their rooms and stayed there.

* * *

"I so can't believe those jerks did that to us!" Tenten screamed while she crushed a paper ball and throwing really hard to the door. "They will so pay!" Ino and Sakura nodded. Hinata was quietly praying they wouldn't stay the whole trip like that.

"I believe that…" Hinata started talking and getting their attention, "When someone is attracted to another, they want him or her to recognize him or her and in this case it's they. I think they got annoyed to the fact that we didn't swoon at them…And that we chose the other guys," she concluded.

The girls just stared at her. Then they realized it made sense. "Still…What jerks," Tenten said. They anime sweat-dropped but nodded. "But still…They are really hot," Sakura said. They nodded blushing a little.

"I didn't know your cousin was that hot, Hinata…" Tenten said playing with the paper. "Yeah…And Sakura didn't say a word after she came from blackmailing him!" Ino accused Hinata and Sakura. "I don't think Neji is that good looking…I prefer Sasuke." Sakura said shrugging.

"Better for me. One less." Tenten said smirking. "Oh…? So we are tagging what guy we want (or would like)?" Sakura asked. Tenten just shrugged. "Then I want Sasuke-kun!" Ino and Sakura said in the same time. They looked at each other and glared then looked at another side with nose held. Hinata and Tenten shared a glance and immediately knew what this meant; war.

"…And you, Hinata?" Tenten asked trying to break the tension. "I…Naruto-kun," she grinned madly. They then high-five and said a 'good luck for us'! And decided to walk…It's not because they are on a little vacation that they could forget the motto.

* * *

"_Pant_…_Pant_…Lets have a break. We are walking for an hour now," Hinata said while trying to regain her breath. They decided to jog a little then they started running. They nodded and sat on the floor. Then the sun that was shining was covered by someone's shadow. They grinned when they saw it was the guys. They just waved and motioned for them to sit besides them.

Tenten excused herself because she would run some more. She needed to get un-stressed (she was still mad at the boys). They nodded and agreed to meet at five in the Inn lobby. She then left.

They stayed there planning everything. Lee told them that Tsunade-sensei told Gai-sensei that told him that there would be an official opening because this was the first time that the two schools had something together and wasn't for competition. They cheered.

"Sakura…Would you be the star that guide me and be my partner? I will refuse every girl that asks me, because my heart is yours" Lee asked enthusiast. "Lee…I'm sorry but…Naruto knew this before you and he already asked me," Sakura said while feeling guilty. Kiba announced that a girl asked him and Akamaru to go with them. They happily agreed. "Hinata-san? Mind going with me, then?" Lee asked Hinata, who shyly agreed.

"But then…Tenten and I are without a partner." Ino told them. She was really pissed that Tsunade didn't tell them…Or maybe that was supposed to be a surprise? She just ignored that. She left to buy an ice-cream and left them alone (they were planning everything about the dance…Well, the four of them except Kiba and Akamaru who were happily playing).

_

* * *

How dare them. I'll so kick their asses! And it was the first day as well! Ohhh they are dead! If I only knew who was… Tenten thought while running around the Inn. She refused to go around the pool area (apart from passing in front of the pool…It was the only place where she could pass!). __Ok, Tenten…Forget. There is another time…_Tenten thought while running around the Inn. She refused to go around the pool area (apart from passing in front of the pool…It was the only place where she could pass!). 

She was running when she felt someone running by her side. She saw that it was Neji the jerk. She ignored him and continued running. She paused a little and noticed Neji paused as well. _Is he following me?_ She thought. She just shoved the thought and decided to go for water. Is she continued like that, she'd have dehydration.

She walked to the Inn small snack bar and asked for a bottle of water. And so did Neji. Tenten had enough. She glared hard at Neji, "Are you _stalking_ me?" She asked just like that. Neji looked at her, smirked, and grabbed his water, paid and then left…Leaving and angry Tenten. _What a double jerk!_

……………………………………………………………………..

_Where was the place again?_ Ino thought while looking for a place to buy ice-cream. She went to their room and grabbed money (even thought the Boys School was paying, she still liked to pay for her stuff).

_La la lala…And turn left and…not here. I must ask for help_. Ino was getting tired. She had walked almost the whole Inn area and didn't find a place to buy her ice-cream. While she was looking, she saw one of those guys that pushed them into the water looking at the sky. _That pissed her_. How can he be that tranquil when she's tired looking for the damn ice-cream for fifteen minutes?

She marched to the guys ready to shout her head off. But then when she saw the serenity in his eyes while looking at the sky she felt in peace…Then she had the best revenge plan ever! _Man, am I smart?_

"Umm…Hi" She waved weakly at the guys who just looked at her bored then returned to watch the sky. She was beyond mad. The boy chose watching the sky over her! "Look here jerk!" She said catching his chin and had his face looking at her. "Yeah…?" His eyes bored hers. She almost forgot what she wanted to say!

"Why did your friends and you pull us in the water?" She yelled in his face. He just covered his ears. "Because doing that seemed un-troublesome, but now it's troublesome so let me watch the clouds." He said lazily. "The clouds?"

"Yeah…" He said while laid back again in the grass and looking at the sky. "May…May I watch with you?" Ino asked shyly to his. He was surprised at first but nodded.

"…Nara Shikamaru"

"I know…Yamanaka Ino"

* * *

"I can't believe you are doing that, Ino!" Shrieked the girls while they were getting ready to sleep. "I know and to think that…" Ino started giggling, "He feel for a simple think like that!"

"But…Aren't you going to hurt his feelings?" Hinata asked while putting her pajama and climbing in the bed (she's in the bottom while Ino is in the top). "It's a simple revenge on the pool thing. He won't get hurt or something…it's not a huge deal," Ino said trying to assure her and Hinata.

"If this opening dance thing happens then that means," Tenten started, "I'm the only one who's going alone." She concluded, tossing her shoes away. The girls just looked away. It was true.

They discovered Ino was playing with that Shikamaru for the pool incident. She decided that she'll be Shikamaru's friend and then broke apart. She will get her revenge and she was, hopefully, going to the dance with him and in the day of the dance she'd just leave him. It was flawless.

"Bah…still, I can go without a partner. It's just socializing," Tenten reasoned again getting ready to play Nintento DS (c) Nintendo in her bed, just after she combed her long hair. She just shoved the fact. Besides, it was supposed to be a surprise…

……………………………………………………………………..

"Good Morning!" Gai-sensei waved at the students while he was serving breakfast. The teachers decided that a good way to socialize was announcing the dance. That would make girls or boys look for a partner.

"Now…Listen up," Tsunade tried speaking at the loud kids, "Listen UP!" She shouted and the room felt silent. She thanked and started her speech, "As you know…This is for socializing, so, we, the teachers, decided to give an opening party," The room cheered.

"But…It's a semi-formal occasion. You need to look nice because we'll be filming and taking photos constantly. You must have a partner in order to enter the ballroom. It'll be today after dinner, so you guys can enjoy better. That's all, thanks for hearing." Tsunade finished talking and then sat with the stuff who animatedly chatted about the events.

Boys already left their seats trying to get the girls out. You must get the best first, right? Soon the there was people standing asking people out. Others shouting that they asked first, others fighting for the same girl when it was obvious that the girl got another partner.

The girls decided to leave before something really stupid happened.

* * *

"How troublesome…" Shikamaru said while walking with Sasuke and Neji around the Inn. "What will we do?" Neji asked referring to the partner fact. "Maybe there's another way of doing that…" Sasuke answered. "Well…Most of them have partners," Shikamaru said, pointing at the mess happening in front of them. They sighed.

"I know a way to help you, Sasuke…" Shikamaru told him lazily. "But I'll need Neji's help…"He said looking at Neji, who was half way thinking on a way to escape whatever Shikamaru had in mind.

"We get inside. We do it and then you enter and ask for a dance. Then you leave." Shikamaru told them plan. "Yeah…? How are we entering if we have no partners?" Neji said scowling at him. Shikamaru just nodded his way of saying 'I just need to tell you'.

"I already have a partner for sure and I know someone who isn't paired. You might not like who she is, but you can deal with her," Shikamaru explained. "Then the rest is really simple. I showed you were the power switch is, right, Sasuke?" Sasuke nodded.

"I don't know_ how_ I'm agreeing with this…" Neji said glaring at Sasuke. "What can I say? She got my attention…" Sasuke shrugged. "Is it really or is because of her partner?" Shikamaru asked. Sasuke just looked away.

**

* * *

A/N: The lame excuse of a chapter? I agree. Shorter? Agreed again. Oh well…Sorry to keep you guys hanging -- And thanks so much for the reviews! I hug you guys!**

**Silver Sniper**: Thanks!

**Moonlightpath: **I also love these pairings!

**Aries Stephastone: **Thanks for the review. Sakura only met Neji because she needed his help. Sakura just met him to bribe him but didn't want to know more...Thanks for reading Step by Step D And I hope the 'read important' note could make more sense?

**i-dream-of-blue-eyes: **Thanks for reviewing! NejiTen is also my fav!

**RedLotusNin and IceHunterNin: **Thankies! I know...I have grammatical errors and sometimes forget stuff and it get confusing. But I'm glad it's readable.

**harukakanata**NejiTen 100 percent here! Thanks for reading my other fic. Also, I also don't like when Tenten is all girly and sentimental. She's a girl, right…But a_ cool_ girl. I'll try my best to keep them in character.

**Des: **Updated pal!

**Heniya10902: **I also like that as well! Some OOC makes the fic more interesting! Thanks for reviewing!

**Lunarangel: **There, updated! The revenge will come slowly…You'll read asap! Thanks for the review!

**Young-love:** Here's the next chapter! Thankies for the review!

**NaruHina113: **Thankies for adding my as your fav and thankies for the review! I'm glad you liked this!

**ToMoYo129**I took a while to update but I'm back! Thankies for the review!

**MisSs005**The girls will get the guys down! I'll make sure of that! Thanks for the review! Also…Sorry for not reviewing in your fic. I feel bad. I'll try to review, ok?

**TriGemini**Until now! Thankies for the review and your option. I'm glad you like this.

**LemonLiciouS** Thanks, me too. I'm addicted to these pairings. Thanks for the review!

**Just a reviwer: **I updated late but oh well…Oh! I hope you become 'just a reviwer' in every chap. Thanks for the review!

**December Jewel**Continued! Thankies for the review!

**Jess: **I hope the whole fic becomes a good thing. I updated, Thankies for the review.

**Snow Wind**And now? Am I nice again? I mean…I updated D Thanks for the review.

**kunoichi goddess**Thankies for the review! The 'revenge' let's call it, will be in parts. I hope you don't mind.

**SasuSakuforeva-iloveSasuke: **Yup! Go SasuSaku! I agree fully with your nick, and I love Sasuke as well…But Neji is taking my like now, as Naruto…Updated!

I thank you guys so much because I received 20 reviews in one chapter (a record!). Thanks again! Hope you guys ok! ja!


	3. In this darkness I

**A/N: **I'll _try_ to focus on every couple in this chap or the next, so if you like one in particular, please read all of this because you'll find plenty of fluff!

**03. In this darkness**

The girls were frantically looking for something in their bags to wear. They just realized the party was _today_ at night and maybe they didn't even had something to wear!

* * *

Earlier that day, Neji wanted to talk to Tenten, whom was enjoying herself getting a tan in the pool area (she was very distant from the pool). Neji came and sat next to her and kept looking at the pool. Tenten, again, tried to ignore him but her curiosity was killing her…And besides, there was a huge amount of girls glaring at her.

"Yeah…?" She asked turning position, now she had her back to the sun. "I have a deal," he answered. "Deal?" she tried sounding uninterested but failed miserably. I mean, who wouldn't want to know what Neji had to tell you? And it was fun to look at those red faced girls trying to make voodoo of you.

"Go with me to the dance." He told her like that, looking away from her face. Tenten started giggling then laughed hard. Neji looked at her annoyed, "What's so funny?" He asked. "You." She replied and laughed again. Neji glared at her and turned his head away.

"(giggles) Now, _why_ would you want to be in my presence?" Tenten asked again while closing her eyes muttering a 'what a world' and giggled again. "I never said that." Neji told her coldly. Tenten nodded and told him to continue. "I just want to be there and I need a partner." Neji said glaring down at her because she was making this almost embarrassing.

Tenten stopped giggling and looked at him seriously. "You can always ask one of your fan girls." She said pointing at the girls. Neji glared at her again. "I'm assuming you don't want me near you…Are you afraid?" Neji said smirking at her then caressing her cheek. Tenten blushed madly. "O-of course not! Hah! Then we meet at nine in front of the door!" She told him taking her hand out, trying to hide her blush. Neji shook her hand. "After we get in, we separate." Then he left, leaving a sighing Tenten. _He just asked me out…_

……………………………………………………………………..

"I'm happy you agreed to go with me Sakura-chan," Naruto told her grinning while he bought her some ice-cream. Sakura just nodded and smiled at him. "But I feel bad because fuzzy-brows…He told me he liked you before I knew of the dance. I feel bad because I asked you before but knowing his feelings for you," he told her frowning. "Are you talking about Lee-san?" Sakura asked. Naruto nodded.

"Naruto…Don't worry about that. Lee-san understood that we are friends and hopefully he will meet a girl that likes him back." She said smiling at him. "Just friends?" Naruto asked playful with a pout. Sakura laughed and punched him lightly on the shoulder.

They were waking around the inn. It was awkward before but now they seemed really close. Like the siblings they never had. They talked about all topics. Sakura knew that Naruto wanted to own the Boys School after he graduated. Jiraiya liked the idea, but Sakura promised she wouldn't tell a soul.

Naruto now knew that Sakura would try entering on a medic college because she really wants to help people out, and that Tsunade was helping her by writing her application letter. But that Sakura's parents didn't approve because they wanted her in her mother's local shop along with Ino's family.

But that Ino wanted to open plenty of flower shops around the world. And if Ino couldn't make that dream real, she'd teach girls about plants and their meaning, especially flowers, because she knew a lot of it.

……………………………………………………………………..

"Ino…Do you have someone to go to the dance?" Shikamaru asked Ino while they both watched the clouds. It became something of them and just them. After they ate they'd meet in the tree and watch them for maybe half and hour. And if they were lucky, they'd find something to talk about.

"No-hu" She said shaking her head grinning madly in her head. "Then would you go with me?" He asked blushing a little looking at the clouds. Ino blushed seeing him blushing then smiled and told him yes.

"…a sheep…" He said pointing at the cloud. Ino just nodded.

……………………………………………………………………..

"I didn't think this was so hard…" Kurenai sighed sipping her coffee. They had just finished arranging the dance theme and getting cameras man and photographers that would agree to come in this short period of time. Good thing they already had the food that the inn was offering.

"Yeah…And to see those boys going wild while trying to ask a girl out…" Asuma said lighting a cigarette. The staff chuckled. "I'd say the last time they saw a woman and talk to her was their mom," Kurenai said grinning at the Boys School. They slowly nodded.

"Anyway…I'm glad the dance stuff agreed to come and film everything," Tsunade said drinking ignoring Shizune, whom was glaring at her. They nodded. "I wonder…how will the dance turn out?" Shizune asked.

"Oi, Shizune," Kakashi said getting her attention. When she looked at him and saw him re-reading that stupid orange book, she frowned. "Yes?" She said glaring at the book. She once saw it on the bookstore and tried reading it. When she saw the content, she almost threw up. "Go with me." He said smiling at her. Shizune smiled a little and nodded. Kakashi then returned to his book, receiving another glare from her. _Pervert…_She thought.

They were the last un-paired staff. Asuma asked Kurenai yesterday night to go with him and she suspiciously agreed. Jiraiya and Tsunade would appear together because they were both coordinators from the schools. Even thought Jiraiya respects Tsunade's ex-husband, Dan, doesn't mean he won't try to get near her…Maybe they could become friends?

* * *

"Do you want me to apply make-up?" Sakura asked from behind Tenten. Tenten shook her head, saying it wasn't necessary. "A little won't hurt…" Ino said fixing her hair into a neat bun. She really liked her hair in a ponytail but it wouldn't fit her dress. Tenten sighed and agreed but 'just a little'.

They then gathered in the room and soon a click and_ flash_. They had a photo to remember. Tenten was smiling a little by Ino's side. Ino, in a sexy pose and smiling with a victory sign, had Hinata smiling shyly by her side. Hinata had Sakura happily smiling having her arm in Hinata's shoulder. (So it was from left to right; Tenten, Ino, Hinata and Sakura).

"You are so cute, Tenten!" Ino and the girls squealed after the photo and after Sakura applied make-up on her. It was just enough to notice she was using one. Tenten blushed and looked away.

She was using black linen pants that looked like a long skirt with pale pink almost turtle neck shirt. Her hair was the most beautiful thing ever when it was down with some light pink barrette on it. And she was in high heel. _Tenten in high heel and no two-buns_. It was pretty not Tenten but she was cute anyway.

Ino had her hair in a bun with some strokes coming out nicely. She was in a middle strapless pale yellow dress that had some glitters and high heels. She had make-up and silver necklace and earrings. And she carried a silver purse.

Hinatawas in a midnight blue strapless dress with a small heel. She applied some make-up and she had a necklace. Her hair had a light blue adornment. And she had a purse.

Sakura was in a strapless green knees length dress with high heeled shoes (she needed to look like she reached Naruto). Her pink hair nicely combed with a dark ribbon. She also had a purse to match her dress.

Then, seeing it was almost nine, they left.

* * *

"Now…re-going through the plan," Shikamaru told the guys in the room. They were all in black tuxedo. Each given a white rose to apply to their partner. "Neji and I enter, and then you, Sasuke, go to the place and turn the power off. Then you enter and ask her to have a dance with you." He told the two. It wasn't normal he helping Sasuke but still…

"After the power is out, we'll direct her to a place where you can see her," He finished. Now, the plan is perfect. They just need to keep an eye on her and when the time arrives, they will be by her side, kick her partner and allow him to have a dance and then he'd go, leave and turn the lights again. Simple.

They revised the plan after Naruto and Lee left to pick up their dates. Shikamaru was supposed to do that as well, but Ino wouldn't mind, would she? I mean, she would understand it was too troublesome to walk to the third floor if they had to go to the first.

Neji had agreed in this craziness only because he wanted to have some fun before he needed to be part of his uncle's company. And he needed to take care of _Hinata_.

……………………………………………………………………..

"Shikamaru! How dare you make me wait? You could be a gentleman like Naruto and Lee-san, whom came to pick the girls out. You could at least apologize." Ino said scowling him when they were inside (after Shikamaru gently gave her the white flower to adorn her dress). _I'll 'dump' him after we have the first dance_. Ino thought.

She had intended to make it the first thing after they were inside but when they entered, photographs and cameraman were walking around them. It was hard to get a private talk with him when someone is with you, just like a third wheel.

That was for Neji and Tenten as well. Neji had said to separate as soon as they were inside but, only God's know how, they found he was _Hyuuga_ Neji and now they were filming him and his young and pretty partner. Neji wanted to throw up because they only wanted to know something about his uncle.

They had to pretend to be enjoying it. Tenten would gladly pretend, but she wasn't the one for photos. It was really awkward to have Neji with an arm around her waist cussing them in her ear. The thing was that the cameras thought he was saying romantic stuff at her. And she knew that he hadn't said a word about how she looked.

"Neji…Would you quit with the cussing in my ear? I can always sue you for it…" Tenten whispered in his ear. Neji felt himself shiver. And the only thing she asked was to stop…"We must look convincing," he tried explaining that to her. "My face is blowing away then, because I sure don't look like I'm having a good time. And besides, I don't like to hear you cussing in my ear," she frowned at him, "it seems you are cussing at me." She complained.

"You aren't having a good time?" He asked frowning back. "Well…Stand in the wall is sure funny," she told him with sarcasm. "Besides, when we had the deal you told me I could leave. I was thinking of dancing…I mean, this will sure be the last dance because I'll go to college and I plan to study hard…" She said whispering in his ear. She just noticed a photographer taking photos of them.

Without saying a thing, Neji got a hold of her arms and let her to the middle of the dance floor. "N-neji what are you doing?" she asked while he put a white rose in her hand and then_ his_ hand circled her waist, again, but with possession. "You wanted to dance," he said putting her arms around his neck. "I…see?" She tried while she was this close to him.

It was a slow music and they floated, not danced. It was synchronized. It was magic. Neji could ignore the cameras and Tenten the beyond mad fan-girls.

……………………………………………………………………..

"Let's dance Sakura-chan," Naruto asked Sakura as soon as he gave her the flower. Soon Sakura's attention was around the room. She was trying to find Sasuke…Suddenly she saw Lee and Hinata dancing with a distance between them. They kept glancing at her. Lee with a pained expression and Hinata with a sad smile but giving her a thumb-up.

She felt guilty and quickly averted her gaze to another couple; Ino and Shikamaru. They had argued because Ino wanted to dance and Shikamaru didn't feel like. They even played janken (rock, paper and scissors) to see who'd win. Amazingly it was Shikamaru but he wanted to dance now.

Shikamaru kept making small turns with Ino, who laughed and embraced herself again. They were dancing what seemed like an improvised tango. The DJ even played a tango for them.

Then she saw how close Tenten and Neji were. They were a sweet but strange couple.

Now a dance came and it was a rotating dance. Meaning you changed partners. Sakura grabbed Naruto's hand and pulled him to the dance floor. They dance a little then Naruto turned her and they changed partners.

She was paired with almost every boy…even Neji! Then, when she reached Lee (who couldn't contain his happiness) and dance with him a little the music was cut off and so the lights.

* * *

"Then I switch this and take that one out and separate this and …_out_." Sasuke said while playing with the power cables. The plan was a black out then he'd dance with Hinata (_who is paired to that strange Lee_…He thought). Now that there was no light, he knew the place that Shikamaru was going to lead Lee and he could dance with Hinata.

He memorized his way to the dance floor and he could hear shouting. Especially Tsunade's who was shouting at a staff to go and fix the problem. He passed a cameraman who was complaining because it was the best of the party and that there was no way to take photos.

"Lee! Come this way!" he heard Shikamaru and a 'yosh' from Lee. Wait some and now…

He walked to the place were Lee was. He was extra cautious because there were so many couples in the floor. Soon he heard Lee talking to Shikamaru about something they could do about the black out…Good, Hinata was free. He grabbed her, apparently making her let go Lee's hand. Lee, feeling that did the drastic; shouted. "Sakura-san! Sakura-san!"

Sasuke froze. Sakura? The pink one? He started to get nervous…"Now Naruto, that was mean…Lee-san will get mad! And what about Hinata-chan?" Sakura asked. He felt her crossing her arms. What went wrong? Everything apparently.

He did the unthinkable. He grabbed her waist and hold into her. He heard her sighing and cursing 'Naruto'. He smirked. She had pretty shaped body. And her pink hair was kind of strange but intriguing…He felt her put an arm around his neck and started humming. He almost forgot they were without music…

"You'll pay me an ice-cream later, Naru--" she was saying in between her humming. He thought it was pretty cute the way her humming would take different melodies. Then he felt her moving to his hair. _They always like my hair…_He thought forgetting the fact that his hair is _way_ different from Naruto's.

"Who…who are you?" She asked playing with his hair. You could notice she was nervous. She even stopped humming. "The cold hot jerk," her answered remembering that was what one of Neji's fan-girls called him after he dismissed them. "Oh…Sasuke," she said then breather hard. And to his surprise, she continued humming.

He wanted to waltz with her. But seeing the dark and that there were lots of couples in the floor he contented himself with just the fact of holding her.

It was strange really because he just wanted to dance with Hinata because her shyness attracted him. But now, Sakura intrigued him more than any other person. Her personalities changed every second and he liked the way she expressed herself. Making him want to know what she liked, hated and to have her friendship like she did to the guys.

"You did this?" She asked. He didn't know what to answer. "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul," she continued, "just do the favor of not thinking about Hinata…Lets enjoy for a while…" she said continuing humming.

How could she ask that? Didn't she know that his mind was strangely filled with pink? That he was**_ so_** out of character that maybe manuca's reviewers would stop reading? That he didn't mind the way his heart was warm and that he was blushing?

Then, to his surprise, the lights came again. It was almost a blinding moment because before was so tranquil (forgetting that the staff and Tsunade were complaining and Lee's shout) and that he had got used to the dark room.

He and Sakura glanced around the room. They were pretty far from the group! They had moved? The music started playing again and the DJ, seeing how close the couples were, decided to give another slow. Because wanting or not…Slow song is the best for people who are trying to know each other.

* * *

"So…when will you break this charade?" Shikamaru asked Ino when the light came again. It was disturbing having Lee shouting at your side but worth having her by his side. When Lee saw Sakura with Sasuke (to his complete shock…What happened to Hinata?) he decided to get a drink.

"You found out?" She asked a little surprised. "If you put the sticks together you built a house. I just need to thing and get the right option," he said while waltzing-like with her, "and you are pretty obvious."

"Maybe then I should me more careful?" She asked with a small embarrassed smile. "Might as well…I can teach you…No wait. It's too troublesome." He said turning her. "Maybe I can get the revenge another time?" Ino asked while trying to fix his pineapple-like hair. "Sure thing…" He said putting his head on her shoulder.

"Shouldn't _I_ be the one to get my head on _your_ shoulder?" Ino asked, startled to the fact that it didn't bother her as much she thought it would. "I get tired of standing…And you smell nice."

* * *

"N-naruto-kun…What happened?" Hinata asked, holding onto Naruto. She finally got the chance to dance with him. It was sad to know he chose Sakura over her. Even thought he didn't know the fact that she liked him…

"I heard the guys planning something about this…I just didn't know it was for today," Naruto said whispering to her. This was a secret. He could understand that it could ruin both schools if the press knew something like…it could get out of control.

"I see…What do we do?" She asked confidently. Naruto couldn't see her face. How much she flushed while being by his side. How she could smell his cologne.

"Dance, of course." She felt Naruto's foxy grin and suddenly grinned as well. She nodded and then remembered that he couldn't see her. "O-ok…" She said. Naruto then started walking with his hands holding hers.

She heard him muttering something about being too crowded and he couldn't walk properly. She was trying really hard to hold his hand and walk. It was almost impossible to do that because Naruto was walking ahead of her and so many people came blocking her path.

Then she bumped with his figure. He had stopped, it seemed. Then he left go her hand (to which she was really sad) and had it by her waist, pulling her a little closer. They enjoyed the no-music dance they were sharing. It felt strange that, in just some days, they had a bonding.

Naruto twiddled her and then grabbed her again. Naruto had a way with her to always hold her hand. Always making her laugh. Always making her relaxed. Maybe…always by her side.

Always.

**

* * *

A/N: OOC-ness from Sasuke? Agreed. Who thought Sasuke wanted to dance with Sakura because her partner was Naruto? …Fluff? You guys tell me.**

**READ: **_Sasuke and Hinata_ I totally _don't agree_ with this pairing and I don't know how the hell people thought of writing something like this. But I had to have someone that Neji would need to go and watch (NejiTen minute, guys) and that I could change and make it a SasuSaku moment.

**READ 2:** Behind the Chapter01 – Who wants_ Tsunade&Jiraiya_? Or should I keep them as just friends? And for Kakashi&Shizune? What do you guys think?

Also, Lee _was _going with Sakura and Naruto with Hinata. But when Shikamaru said

_'because of her partner'_ (last chapter), it would show that he wanted to dance with Hinata because Sasuke and Naruto just have a hate/friendship thing. So yeah?

**READ 3**: I'm a SasuSaku, NejiTen, NaruHina and InoShika hundred percent fan! If I start writing other couples than that is because of a _twist so they can get together_!

**Thanks so much hugs you all: **

_Moonlightpath_, _TriGemini_ (the revenge for the guys didn't work well, but it'll come again!), _December Jewel_, _FireDragonBl_, _Aries Stephastone, SasuSakuforeva-iloveSasuke, animeforever24, lunarangel _(everything you said will come shortly. Just wait 'till next chap)_ , ToMoYo129, Dark Angelic Kitty, young-love, gal-sasuke, txxme_


	4. In this darkness II

**04. In this darkness II**

The teachers were enjoying themselves when the light was suddenly out. Tsunade didn't like this because one: Jiraiya could try something perverted with her and two: this will be a huge scandal if the press writes something like this.

Before the blackout, she was slow dancing with Jiraiya, sometimes talking about school business or Jiraiya would tell her funny things that he found when he travels. She found that Jiraiya is a traveler when his school is out. He told her it was 'researching' for his inner-self. Yeah, right…It was a time he took to watch innocent girls in the hot springs so he could add a little 'spice' in his perverted book.

It turned that the teachers were slowly enjoying each other companies slowly. Shizune would complain that Kakashi wasn't giving her much attention, so she left to find another person to dance. Gai had his arms wide open for her, but she decided to pass the opportunity.

* * *

"What is the meaning of this whole mess?" Tsunade yelled at Jiraiya when the lights were off. "I want the light back! Now!" She yelled some more. Jiraiya had his ears covered by his hands. He hated when the woman shouted. It was her only flaw.

"Kurenaiii! Go and turn the light again!" Tsunade shouted at Kurenai who was dancing with Asuma. "I don't know where the light power is!" She shouted back. "Then get someone from the Inn! I'll not repeat myself!" Tsunade yelled again. Kurenai just sighed and did as told.

She got someone from the kitchen to help her out. The power wasn't far from the room, so it was an easy task. She, being the multiple-skilled woman she was, got the cables again and in its right place just fine. The person didn't think carefully. The cables were just tangled, so all she needed to do was some un-tangle.

Now, with the light on, she could hear music again. It seemed like the DJ liked some slow music after all. She could see hard blushing girls and fan-girls glaring at some couples and making curses for something to happen.

She posed to the camera man while he said it was for the school news. She didn't believe, of course. Not that she thinks highly of herself but she was great looking. Any man would love to have a picture of her. Ok, so she has a huge ego. So what?

……………………………………………………………………..

"Anyone you think could do this mess?" Tsunade asked Jiraiya while they eyed the room. It was as nothing happened. The couples were still the same as when the rotating dance started. Nothing out of place.

"Actually I can only think of someone…" He told her, "Yo! Naruto, come here!" Jiraiya said motioning to his student to come closer. Naruto eyed him suspiciously but went to find what his principal wanted anyway.

Naruto greeted Jiraiya and bowed politely at Tsunade, whom just eyed him slightly angry. Naruto, seeing this, glared back. "What, ma'am?" He asked nervous and angry. She was judging him by his appearance? Isn't she mature?

"Why did you do it?" She asked straight. Naruto blinked once…then again. "Do what?" He asked. "Don't play innocent with me; I know it was you who caused the blackout!" She hissed trying not to shout. If the press hears this, they'd be in trouble.

"What? Me? Are you insane, old hag?" He asked her. Tsunade clenched her fists and was about to slap the annoying kid when Jiraiya coughed. "I think that it's not moral to do that, Tsunade. Especially right now…We get out of here and we talk," he said motioning for the two to follow him.

They walked until the cafeteria came in view. They sat and Jiraiya started to talk because Tsunade would surely slap Naruto. "Now Naruto…If it wasn't you, then do you know who it was?" He asked while asking for a drink to one of the Inn employer.

Naruto nodded. "Who, Naruto." Jiraiya said loosing his patience. "Sasuke and the other guys," Naruto replied while fixing his tuxedo. Jiraiya gave an impatient sigh. "Naruto…You are old enough not to blame people. I know that Sasuke would _never _do that. He's an anti-social. And besides, he can't think that far," Jiraiya said scowling at him.

"But it was Shikamaru whom planned!" Naruto argued. He got the feeling that Jiraiya wouldn't believe him…Always protecting (rich) perfect Sasuke-teme. "I knew you don't like Sasuke…But blaming on _Shikamaru_? The guy doesn't like to think, for God's sake!" Jiraiya argued back.

"But its true! Neji was involved as well!" Naruto shouted. He was mad. How could he not believe him? He only lied when he didn't do the essays. "Neji? As in _Hyuuga Neji_? Naruto, that's absurd! Neji is the guy who only eats when the cafeteria is empty!"

"Why would I do that?" Naruto asked, hotly. "Because you wanted to dance with Hinata," Tsunade replied. "If I knew any better, you are only looking for her properties. You might know that she's the heir of a huge company," she said matter-of-fact.

"But she's only a friend!" Naruto glared. "If you say so…" Tsunade said, not believing a word he said. Naruto glared at both of them and then stormed of. The teachers looked at each other then at the retreating form of Naruto.

……………………………………………………………………..

Jiraiya always believed him. What changed today? Every time he lied about something he would apologize. Jiraiya was almost his uncle. How could he take side with the old hag? It was _Sasuke's_ fault. Just because Sasuke had the best grades and his own fan-girls didn't mean he wasn't a _boy_ who liked pretty girls.

Naruto went back to the dancing room trying to find Hinata and apologize. He wasn't in the mood. While he was walking, he got past Sasuke, whom was slow dancing with…Sakura-chan! He got angrier.

He walked to the couple, pushed them apart then with his right hand gave Sasuke a punch right in his cheek. Naruto then glared and walked away. Sakura just looked puzzled and Sasuke glared holes into Naruto's back.

_That felt great…_Naruto thought, now grinning. He knew that if the truth didn't appear now, it would later. He found Hinata seated next to the table. She looked nervous and was twitching her hands.

"Hinata-chaan!" He called her with his trademark foxy grin. She looked at him and smiled in relief. She ran toward him and asked what happened. He told her what happened between the teacher's and him and how he punched Sasuke. Hinata was worried because Tsunade wouldn't leave the case just that way.

* * *

"What just happened to him?" Sakura asked, concert in her eyes. "Stupid idiot…" Sasuke mumbled, caressing his cheek. _When did the idiot learn to hit so hard? _He was thinking.

"Maybe Jiraiya thought it was him who caused the blackout," Sasuke grinned. Sakura frowned at him. "It's not funny, Sasuke-kun…It wasn't his fault," she said. Sasuke glare at her. "What are you doing? You promised you wouldn't tell a soul," he spat. "Well, Naruto's my friend," she told him angrily. "And aren't you _my_ friend?" He asked her, daring.

"You got yourself confused there, _Uchiha_. I only befriend people who think about each other, not self centered jerk asshole people," she answered hotly. "And I don't like _wannabe_ with long unusual pink hair!" He shouted at her.

He saw her eyes forming tears, but he was angry to function and apologize. She turned, leaving him there with a red spot in his cheek. If he compared the punch's pain and the pain of being left alone, he would say that being alone is the worst ever.

……………………………………………………………………..

"Neji…Did you see what happened?" Tenten asked him while they still danced. When the blackout happened, she and Neji had been arguing who was the best karate fighter. Tenten insisted that it was the one who won some championship in town and he would say it was someone from his house. "What happened?" he asked bored. It was _so_ damn annoying the way those cameraman would record them.

"With Sakura…" She said referring to the discussion Sakura and Sasuke were having. "So…?" He asked. "She's my friend Neji!" Tenten told him worried. "You are leaving me here?" He asked a little angry. No one dared to leave him. "You said when we arrived we would separate! What's different now?" she asked glaring at him removing from his embrace. "Cameras," He answered simply, wishing he could embrace her again. But it was embarrassing to do that when she was the one who removed herself.

"Then come with me!" Tenten pleaded, looking at him hoping he would agree. "It would seem like we are running from this," he answered with those silver eyes that showed no emotion. "But its just like that! Please, Neji! She's my friend," she grabbed his hand trying to make a romantic scene with the whole mess they were sharing. "But not mine," he told her.

Tenten was mad. She thought he was a jerk, yes. But also a gentleman.

"Then I leave. I had a great time, but I must see my friend!" She yelled at him. How she wished she could slap him, hard and leave a permanent mark on his body. She turned and left, but not without whispering in his ear "You'll regret it. I hope you have fun with your fan-girls," she said, hatred obviously in her voice.

……………………………………………………………………..

"Ino…shouldn't you go with Sakura?" Shikamaru asked. Ino nodded, gave him a little goodbye peck on his cheek and left.

* * *

Ino and Tenten met in the corridors and nodded to each other. Something was wrong with their friend. If something happened to her, then someone would pay. _Dearly_.

They found Hinata and Naruto knocking on their room door. Hinata was shouting for her to open up. "She didn't…" Ino started, "lock herself, did she?" Tenten asked, worry taking her senses. Hinata only nodded and looked down, almost sobbing.

"Forehead-girl! Open up this fucking door right now!" Ino shouted. "_Make me, Ino-PIG_! (sobs)" They heard from the other side of the door. At least they knew she was ok.

"Sakura, I'm!" Ino said while kicking hard the door, making it crack with Naruto's help. They saw Sakura crying looking at the mirror with a scissor in her hair, cutting her long pink hair. "What the _fck _do you think you are doing, bitch? Trying to get killed?" Ino shouted at her, taking the scissor away from Sakura.

Sakura covered her ears still crying, trying to answer.

"He…he said I'm a…a wannabe with long pink unusual…hair" Sakura said crying harder. "Shhh, Sakura…It will be fine," Tenten told her, trying to comfort her friend, already planning the death of the big time asshole: Uchiha Sasuke-_teme_.

"Then you are doing what he want," Hinata said cleaning her tears. They looked at her, eyes telling her to explain better. "I think he said it indirectly, not noticing…But the fact is; when he sees you with short hair, he'll realize you cut it because he told you that and he'll have something to tease you," she told her. Sakura understood and cried again, thinking how she could have been so stupid.

"Sakura-chan…Don't cry for that bastard. I'll talk to him," Naruto, who was only watching, said. He then left, with clenched fist.

The girls stayed all night talking with Sakura to know what happened and when she was fine, Ino fixed her hair, cutting it in its right size; short-ish but with Sakura's sparkle. And then they gossiped about the night with each jerk (whom they enjoyed until the happened).

* * *

Naruto tried to find Sasuke all night, but couldn't find the bastard in any place and his 'friends' didn't know either. Naruto was more mad than jealous. Sasuke-teme was dancing with Sakura-chan…But he was angrier because he was blamed with no good reason. And Jiraiya didn't believe him.

He liked Sakura-chan, yes…But it was a different liking from all those girls he flirts. He becomes overprotective and jealous whenever another guy besides his friends got near her. Was this what people call crush? If then, he'd have to not be suspicious but also think of her happiness.

……………………………………………………………………..

What possessed him to tell her that? He was enjoying her company and the no-music dance they shared in the dark. _So why?_

Sasuke was in Shikamaru's bed when Naruto barged in their room asking where he was. He pretended to be asleep and it worked because Naruto left apologizing. He then went to think on his bed.

He wanted to go and apologize but he reasoned why now if he didn't do it before, when she left crying. He felt so stupid right now. He was damn sure that her friends would kill him.

He saw Neji walking to his bed cussing something about 'damn girls and their annoying voices' and something like 'stupid girl, leaving me there…ptfff if she wanted…if she wanted'. Sasuke thought he was dead drunk, but when Neji could undress himself and ask Sasuke if he was gay, he knew Neji was fine.

Shikamaru came shortly after, saying that the dancing room became a making-out room because the cameramen left to publish the article for tomorrow or some rubbish about that and that the staff left to do whatever.

With thoughts not so organized, Sasuke decided to ignore her and her friends. Now he could sleep without a high-guilty conscience.

* * *

SCHOOLS HAVE NO CONTROL WHAT-SO-EVER

_Private party of boarding school had gone wrong (by E.)_

The party officially started at nine in the Konoha Inn ballroom. It's said that Konoha Inn is five stars, but now we know that the guests who stay there aren't. The DJ was doing a great job by changing songs with the young teens there.

When the rotating dance started, which was an amazing idea, a blackout happened. Something the staff didn't see, because Hokage Tsunade, White Lily Boarding All Girls School principal, was shouting and making assumptions about who could be the cause of such a thing. Jiraiya, the Boys Boarding School principal, was trying to get things in order and to get the party back. Again, we notice that Jiraiya is someone who has standards and doesn't shout at staff members.

After the happening, everything became normal, with Jiraiya's help, and the teens could enjoy themselves.

(insert photo with the rotating dance here)

Another thing that was really surprising is that _Hyuuga Neji_ appeared with a young lady, whose name is unknown. They stayed together until the young lady left Neji, shouting something at him. The young lady seemed really mad. Isn't Hyuuga Neji treating a woman right? Must Hyuuga Hiashi, ruler of all Hyuuga Empire&Company, watch for his nephew?

(insert photo with Neji and Tenten dancing here)

Besides that, both boarding school are enjoying themselves at the Inn until the socialize program finish, leaving friends and memories.

(insert random photos from the party here)

* * *

"So…Can you find who wrote this damn article?" Tsunade asked Jiraiya in the next morning, when she saw what they wrote about the schools. "Why…? It'll seem you do have press problems," Jiraiya replied eating. "I want to know _who_ wrote it," she told him violently, making Jiraiya nod. "Also find me Sakura," Tsunade told him.

……………………………………………………………………..

"Sakura, my sunshine of youth!" Lee shouted at Sakura when he saw her coming to breakfast. "What happened to your beautiful mermaid heavenly hair? It was the best of spring!" He told her, trying to give her a hug. "I – err…" She tried saying something without hurting his feelings. Just as if someone heard her praying, Jiraiya called her.

"Yes?" She asked relieved that she didn't lie to Lee… "Tsunade-hime asked you to meet her _now_," He said emphasizing the now. She nodded and went to find her principal.

"Yes, Tsunade?" She asked, relaxing in a chair besides her principal. "What happened, Sakura? I don't want to be left out of a thing," She told her pupil, demanding to know. "I – I ummm" Sakura tried saying something but kept remembering that she _promised_ Sasuke-kun she wouldn't tell.

"I liked your hair longer," Tsunade said seeing her student discomfort. "I…Well, I needed a change," Sakura told her smiling. She also liked her hair long, but it didn't seem bad after Ino cut it. "Why now?" She heard Tsunade asking again. Sakura lowered her head, trying really hard not to cry and look pathetic.

The minutes of silence were unbearable for Sakura. Tsunade didn't seem to mind but she knew that her principal's patient was low. "I promised I wouldn't tell…But I can guarantee you it wasn't Naruto," She spoke softly. Tsunade just looked at her student then nodded. "When you feel you can tell me, I'll always be waiting to listen," Tsunade said with a smile to which Sakura replied with a huge caring smile.

"Now Sakura…What do you think of a friendly_ competition_ with the other school?"

**

* * *

A/N: Thanks for those who reviewed. I feel really special (hugs you all) but guilty. _Sorry_ for taking a _while _to update. I was just being lazy to write, sorry. I'll try to not let it happen again.**Thanks for those who reviewed. I feel really special (hugs you all) but guilty. for taking a to update. I was just being lazy to write, sorry. I'll try to not let it happen again. 

**_Reason: _**The characters are 17 or either 18 years old and in that age people _do_ swear. Like Ino is loud-mouthed and bossy, she should speak lots of swearing. Also Tenten, who's tomboy-ish and the boys as well (if you watch the anime with subtitles, you'll see they do curse). Maybe even Sakura if she's really annoyed.

_There **won't** be a lot of swearing, but I'm just **making sure**!_

**Thank-u for the support **(I'll try to review in your fic!)

_Senx2, moonlightpath, Dark Angelic Kitty, lunarangel, becky, Aitashiaku-kawaiiSasuSakuAi, MisSs005, Appleiam, ToMoYo129, NaruHina113, Saku-iimoto, Ayuka-chan, Mrs.Uchiha, RedLotusNin and IceHunterNin, v son sayian, ligice76, animeforever24, yin vs yang, pei-chan, Hell Knight 27, fallendreamer, KaiKaiCutie_

_TriGemini_ - to tell you the truth, you are my fav reviewer. I am always waiting for your review; you always know what to say. Thanks. The couple will be getting together slowly but good. This chap had a little 180 turn but they'll be together, I'll make sure.

_animefreak-shinobi_ - hey, sometimes there must be a moment between the couple to have a twist xD did you like it?

_twighlight16_ - agreed with KakashiShizune…but ppl like KakaKurenai, but I'm not pairing him with her. I'm an AsumaKurenai fan.

_Ruriko89_ - err – cute? blushes and look away not really xD.

_Kawaii-Hisui_ - what don't you get?

80reviews already? **Thanks!**


	5. The Competition

**There's many many things unsaid** (like Sasuke's reaction toward Sakura's hair, Naruto's talk with Sasuke, Tsunade's view etc etc...) But they'll come just next chapter! _The rating **changed back** to T. There will be less swearing._

**05. The Competition**

"Now. There won't be any cheating, understood?" Tsunade told the students, each one holding a scowl. It was plain obvious that most of them were being forced into this.

* * *

"Competition?" Sakura asked Tsunade after hearing her principal's question with a hint of malice. "Yes…We should give this trip a shake! It would be too boring to stay doing nothing. And I noticed people have groups formed already. That's clearly not socializing," Tsunade replied grinning, a plan forming in her head. 

"I see…And when do you want to hold this?" Sakura asked, fearing for the worse. When her teacher used that grin, she should worry. "After lunch," Tsunade replied. "Go and call all the students and the staff," she ordered. The cherry blossom nodded and left to do the task. She was _sure_ this competition would do them no good.

……………………………………………………………………..

"Now that we got this all settled, come and pick a paper from the box," Kurenai told the students seated in the cafeteria while the staff talked about Tsunade's great competition. The students were really annoyed. They _didn't_ want a competition. They were fine like that.

All of them got up and walked to a box that they suspected had papers on it. They had to close the eyes and get a paper, without opening it. They were ordered to sit and wait until everyone had one paper.

"Now open up. Without noise," Kurenai told them. They opened and after, they tried catching friend's number but it was clear that they should respect what the teacher said. "Now…who's with number one?" Asuma asked and four students raised their hands. "Grab this bag and try finding Gai outside," Kakashi told them. The group nodded and left, with a light bag.

"Number two!" Kurenai shouted. The students were being rather impatient with the whole thing. Forward came Shikamaru, Tayuya, Ino and Kiba.

She saw her rebel student; Tayuya, walking to the table, with an annoyed look in her face, Ino with a look that she'd rather join her friends, the pineapple-like haired kid saying how troublesome things were, and Kiba and his dog (…a dog?) walking confidently toward the team.

"Three!" Kurenai shouted again. It was Sakura's number. She tried to get a glimpse of her team. She saw the red-haired boy; Gaara. It was Temari's brother. When she stayed at Temari's, he would greet her and then leave for God-know-where.

"Eer…Hi," Sakura tried a weak wave. He ignored her and went outside to find the spandex-beast. She felt really awkward. It was obvious they wouldn't have a heart-to-heart talk, like her friends did while being with her. Neither would he try a conversation with her, and she was afraid to try one…How to deal with that?

Along came Naruto, who was all hyper and shouting and she noticed, thankfully, that Hinta, whom was blushing slightly when Naruto spoke to her, was with them. At least she wasn't alone.

…………………………………………………………………..

"Four!" Kurenai shouted again. Man…She was wasting saliva for those kids.

"Yoshhh! It's --" Lee tried saying before he fell on the ground. He looked startled for a moment but then he was all shouting. He ran toward the table, only to find Tenten there looking really angry with the bag already in her shoulder.

"Youthful Tenten! I'm sorry for making you wait! I'll run 500 laps after as an apology!" He shouted, making Tenten cover her ears. "What are you talking about, mini-Gai?" Kurenai asked him. "I'm number four!" He said, proudly showing his number to her. "Eh…Kid, your number is five," Kurenai told him, getting angry because he was making the line wait.

"Maybe you read it wrong, Lee," Neji told him, smirking. Lee was suspicious but after a second shrugged and returned to have his number called. He then realized that maybe Neji changed their numbers when he tripped. _Nah…Neji wouldn't do that. It's Neji, after all. _He thought, waiting for his number.

Tenten was rather ok with her team, except for Neji persona. It was her, Neji, Chouji and a random girl (she knew the girl was from her chemistry class and part of the Neji fan-club).

……………………………………………………………………..

"Five!" The teacher called. Sasuke came and looked at his partners: Lee, fan-girl number one and Shino. What an _amazing_ luck (sarcasm). He was paired with a loud baka, a squealing weak girl and a nature freak.

"Now, group six go with Kakashi! Number seven, you follow Asuma!" Kurenai shouted at the students that were waiting. Man, they better not complain after finding what they were doing.

……………………………………………………………………..

"Shit…This whole crap is a waste of time, damn" Tayuya said to Shikamaru, who tried to ignore her and her swearing. They found Gai-sensei waiting in a path fifteen minutes from the Inn. Shikamaru had an idea what the competition would be.

He was already bored to death and Gai-sensei wouldn't tell them where they were going. He was beyond mad because the girl, Tayuya, would swear about the trip and about the Boys School how they were a lot if shit.

Ino would ignore him and listen to Kiba ramble about the various types of dogs and which one he'd like to have when Akamaru got the chance to find a partner (It's finding a bitch, Shikamaru thought – having a strange feeling inside him).

They waited until the last group found Gai-sensei. Shikamaru counted and noticed there were missing students.

"Now, youthful students! Pay attention because there can't be a waste of energy!" Gai told them with a good-guy pose and a smiling 'ping'. "We are allowing students to change! Who wants to change groups raise your hands!" He shouted. Most of them had their hands up.

"No Gai…You won't do that because I wasted plenty of time having them paired," Kurenai told him in a disapproving way. Gai-sensei lowered his head and nodded. "Now…You guys stay like that," Gai told them. "Now…Let's call Tsunade, because she will explain!" He then did a dance and shouted for Tsunade.

"Now listen up! I will only tell this once, and then you may ask if you have any doubts!" She told them, looking for someone who wasn't paying attention. "This competition is a little different, because for one it will last for three days! Secondly, you'll have to camp outside," She told them, receiving annoyed expressions.

"We are starting the competitions tomorrow!" She told them.

The competition was almost simple. The group had to find as many clues that lead to some treasures they had to find and return to the starting place _without being robbed_. Those 'treasures' would be hidden around the Inn (not in the rooms) and in the forest nearby. They had to cooperate to get to the end with as much 'treasure' they could.

It sounded childish for people in their age, but they soon got interested when Tsunade promised extra grade and the winners would receive a day in the hot springs. And, after the competition she told them they'd go to a special place to celebrate.

If party was involved, then why not?

* * *

"I have to be in the baka's team!" Tenten yelled, throwing an imaginary punch in the room. The girls were currently on the room, gossiping the events. "I can't believe the jerk! He changed Lee's number! How could Lee not notice?" Tenten asked again. 

"For someone who isn't interested in girl's stuff, you are pretty excited about the whole thing," Ino said smirking at her friend. "And besides, you didn't even complain to Kurenai-sensei about Lee's number," Sakura teased, making Tenten blush.

"It's not like that!" Tenten yelled. "Oh, really?" Ino and Sakura teased her again. "Yes! I'm only happy because err…! Wait, I'm so _not_ happy because I'm in his team!" Tenten shouted, blushing again.

"At least I'm with Hinata-chan," Sakura smiled. Hinata smiled back, remembering she was also in Naruto's team. Maybe she could get together with him…

Sakura was still awkward having silent Gaara in their team. She could already see; Naruto, Hinta and her talking while Gaara stood there, only watching. It was making her uneasy.

She tried really hard not to glace at Sasuke's direction today. In fact, she avoided almost everyone. She felt bad for not telling Tsunade about the fiasco, but she promised. Even now, after the happened, she couldn't hate Sasuke. Maybe it's because he was the first boy to ever make her feel something different, like she could like him more and more, never stopping.

She concluded that her feelings for Sasuke weren't a simple crush. She liked _liked_ him. It wasn't love. Love is a deep feeling. She is attracted to Sasuke. His whole being. And she realized that was a problem.

……………………………………………………………………..

"Inooo…You are teasing me with Neji, but what about you and Shikamaru?" Tenten asked, smirking. It became a habit. Neji would smirk every time while being with her, so she got used to it.

Ino had a faint blush but she wasn't like that. She had control. "It's not a big deal. We are friends, just like Sakura and Naruto. I still like Sasuke," She told them, while thinking that she should do what her mouth says. But why is that she feels really warm around the lazy-idiot?

"Hinata…You hold a very special thing for Naruto, right?" Sakura asked Hinata gently. "Yes…I don't know if he likes me. He's so energetic. I don't know how to talk to him without stumbling in my words. He must think I'm his younger sister," Hinata told them softly. "Because I see the way he looks at you, Sakura-chan…" She said, lowering her view. She almost felt jealous again.

_It's so…so confusing._

If she could only be less shy. She was just shy around him and him only. He has so many qualities that she was left in the darkness. Sakura also possessed that happiness, someone who deserved to be around him.

But she wasn't going to judge her friends because of that. Maybe Naruto can start liking her after knowing her.

Right?

* * *

"Each team has a color. When you find your team color in a paper, you read the clue and try to do the task that's asking. In total, there are _four tasks_ for each team. Each team member can do only _one_ task. I think there won't be a need to have three days to the end," Tsunade told them, explaining again. 

Group one had green color. Two got sky blue. Three had fuchsia. Four got black. Five had orange (Kakashi chose that color).

If they couldn't find the clue in a day, then they would camp in tents that the teachers (and helping from group six) had up yesterday. They were going to take clothes in the bags and they'd eat when they heard a bell (in that time, the competition stopped).

"No…GO!" Tsunade shouted. The teams started running to find something that was color-related. She noticed that Sasuke was having trouble keeping away a girl from his arms (the girl was saying she could fall and he was saying 'good for you').

Tenten was complaining at Chouji who said he wouldn't leave without his chips. Ino and Tayuya were fighting because they both wanted to be the leader. Sakura and Naruto arguing to which side they should go first.

In the end, Shino scared the girl away saying that a bug could separate her with her smell mixing with Sasuke's. Neji offered a space in his back to carry Chouji's chips. Kiba decided that Shikamaru should be their leader. And Hinata chose another way for her team to follow.

Tsunade could already se the improvement of this competition. She smirked and remembered what Asuma told her what he and the student wrote as clues:

"_There is kidnapping, chemical research, food stealing etc. But don't worry, Tsunade, it's pretty much safe…And socializing"_

**

* * *

A/N: Err…Hi! Sorry for the late update, but well, I tried. The competition is almost formed; I just need to write it. It will turn pretty funny. Thanks for those who reviewed (and read), I really appreciate. If you can, please _review_? **Err…Hi! Sorry for the late update, but well, I tried. The competition is almost formed; I just need to write it. It will turn pretty funny. Thanks for those who reviewed (and read), I really appreciate. If you can, please ? 

**_Hugs – thank you all for the reviews. Please, I'd love if youtake your time and give me your opnion!_****:  
**_Tri-Gemini, Fallendreamer, Taski, MisSs005, animefreak-shinobi, lunarangel, 3llie, luv hate it, IsLandChIck3, Nyteness, Mimiru-Sama, left-alone, Dark Angelic Kitty, lexy499, YingYang-chan_


	6. Worse I

Any one please! I** need** someone to _edit/beta_ this! My grammar gets worse every passing day!

**06. Worse I  
**(or)**_ The Youth that Died (along with green spandex) _**

Sasuke was having a _horrible_ day. You know those days that you just _feel_ it is going to go all wrong after you get up?

I mean, he didn't believe in those stuff. His conscious couldn't become any worse? Right?

… He just jinxed it, right? Because look at his situation!

* * *

Like it wasn't bad enough to wake up and look at the idiot's face, have him _shout_ (who in the right mind would shout in the morning?) some rubbish about his dear Sakura-chan and that he'd beat him, having a green gnome yell around the cafeteria that he'd make sure 'his amazing youth would not fade just because his dear pink-spring-sun of his life-Sakura left him alone'. 

Then, the old hag was having a metal break-down from all the alcohol she ingested because she invented something socializing; a competition (a complete excuse to see them suffering, in his opinion).

He knew right away his day was getting worse because one) he was paired with Lee, two) this annoying girl was hanging in his arms like a loose monkey, three) Sakura ignoring him was making him unstable and four) he was receiving a huge amount of glares from Sakura's friends and from Naruto. And it was scaring (not that he is showing).

_And_ something happened to Sakura's hair! It was short! Long was so...what the hell, like the day is like this, he must as well say it now! Long it was cute! Her style! Now... He couldn't touch it! Was it his fault?

In his team, he had Lee, the nature freak (but the only normal after himself) and an annoying girl giving him _hints_ that she was free and that she liked his hair and bleh bleh (boring stuff he wasn't interested).

His group was trying to find those damned color-paper around this Inn. It would be ok if Lee wasn't jumping around, or shouting incoherent things every time he saw something. Shino was almost loosing his patience because Lee was stomping in those rare ants. The girl didn't mind because she was making every step an opportunity to 'accidentally' have her arm brush with Sasuke's.

And he was getting annoyed at Lee's rambling. "Why? Why orange? And not the beautiful, color number one GREEN? Orange… Orange reminds me of Kakashi-sensei and his perverted book! Green is the youth color! We should go complain! We should make a revolution because green is _THE_ color! Let's get together and --"

"…" Shino thanked heaven because now he'd have his time in pea-

"I FOUND _it_! FOUNNDDDDDDD it!" Lee screamed at showed them the orange paper… Was it too much to ask? Thought Shino. It wasn't hard to see because it was around some green leaves. Ok so the worse part was that – "ARGHHHHHH! Get it off! GET IT OFF! KYAAAA!"

There were some beetles around. And they found a huge interest in the girl's hair. Sasuke was containing not to laugh at the girl, whose arms were in the air and she was running in circles screaming 'get it off'. Shino decided that he had enough, shoved the girl to the other side and took something out of somewhere and then the beetles were gone.

After and awkward moment Lee decided that he would read the task. It was written:

_Get a small orange rock from the back of the waterfall. _

Lee, with his youthful voice screamed that he should go first because he was man-enough to complete a difficult task like that. Sasuke raised his eyebrows but didn't comment and Shino just ignored him.

It wasn't so hard to find a waterfall in the area because of the sound from the running water. Lee soon undressed himself, staying with a green with dots boxers. He threw his (beautiful-youth) spandex aside and swam hard to the other end, always repeating that it was to impress Sakura-san (who was somewhere).

* * *

In a darker place along the waterfall… 

"Really…Kidnap Sasuke? Isn't that too much?" Someone asked. "What if we make some… alterations?" Another said. The team smirked. "Then let's separate. I'll distract the team and you'll do_ this_ task." He said giving the paper to his teammate. "You two go and do the next task with some modification - here" he said tossing the paper, scratched with another name.

Agreement between team number one.

* * *

"But Sakura-chan!" Naruto complained to the pink-haired girl. "Why not get ramen?" He asked again. "Naruto, will you shut up already? I'm trying to find the paper!" The said girl replied back, looking at every inch of the space. "Besides, ramen isn't good enough to help us. We'll die from hunger," she explained. 

"Found one!" Sakura shouted, showing a fuchsia paper. "Like I found it, I'm going to do it," she grinned. It was only fair. "It says: Get the book Kakashi reads…Easy. We just ask him," She said.

"Sakura… Maybe Gaara should make that one," Naruto said. Sakura just ignored him. "But Sakura-chan! You don't want to know what the BOOK is about! And Kakashi-sensei is _always_ with it!"

"No can't do…" Sakura said, grinning. She liked some challenge. Naruto had a worried face but then decided he wouldn't interfere.

"So boring…" Said Naruto after seeing he wouldn't be able to change her mind. "Hey…Why don't we separate? That way, we'll find those things easier and complete them faster," He told the group. "I d-don't --" Hinata tried to say.

"Hell yes! That way we can prove we can do things alone!" Sakura said, nodding to Naruto, who grinned. Hinata just looked down. Doing things alone would only be worse because they would be separated…What if something happened?

"…How will we communicate when we are done?" Gaara asked leaned on the three. "Mhh…" Naruto tried to think something. "Ah! We could ring one another!" Sakura suggested. "I don't have a cell phone," Gaara said. "…"

"Maybe…Maybe we could meet here in two hours, and if someone couldn't find the clue then the others help…" Hinata said. They all agreed. "Then I'll start my task," Said Sakura. They said good-bye and left separated.

………………………………………………………………………

"I think we should find the clues first and then decide who will do the task," Shikamaru gave his opinion. "That way, we can complete the task faster," He explained every part of his plan.

"Then…Let's go, shit-heads," Tayuya said, leading the group. Ino was really mad with the girl because she was always complaining at her. Kiba and Akamaru were running ahead of Shikamaru, who was, _slowly_, walking looking at the sky.

* * *

'Yosh! Bubbles from the youth, help me out!' Lee thought while swimming. It was a little cold but he could support! It was all part of his spring! 

He could already see the end which would lead to the back of the waterfall. 'Now or never,' Lee told himself. He should complete this task before fifteen minutes or else he'd run eighty laps before night. He saw a path to the end of the waterfall.

Getting there he saw the most wanted prize: the small orange rock! His ticket to the outside world! His reason to live until three days! His guarantee Sakura would like him!

"YOSH ! I SHALL--- eh?" Lee said. After he picked the rock, there was ANOTHER youthful orange paper! "OH MY GOD! Sakura will like me forever! My youth strength was able to find two papers in less than twenty minutes! I will be able to declare my undying love for her as the light who guides me in the dark!"

………………………………………………………………………

"What's taking him so long?" Sasuke asked, annoyed. It was almost lunch time and he was hungry. "Aww Sasuke-kun is so impatient!" Fan-girl squealed at his cuteness. Shino just looked with disbelief at the girl. Is she insane? The guy hasn't said a word to her and she thinks he's is deeply in love. And worst, with her!

Rustle. Rustle.

"What is that sound?" The girl asked. Both boys just ignored her. She looked around and found a snake. "Nooo! Too soon to die! Oh my God! Make it go _away_!" She screamed with a high pitched voice, making Shino and Sasuke cover their ears. When they spotted at what she was making such a noise Shino spoke.

"Whatever you do, don't mov-" He couldn't complete, because the girl was twenty meter from them, crying something like 'if the snake! Snake bites me…Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun might get disgusted at me!' Making Shino anime sweat-drop. "I'll go get her; you stay and wait for Lee…" Shino said, while sighing. Sasuke just nodded.

After two minutes came Lee with water dropping, looking quite shocked. Sasuke just raised his eyebrows. Lee stayed one more minute like that. Thud.

He fainted!

* * *

"Kakashi-senseiiii!" Sakura shouted, looking for Naruto's teacher. _Really… Why was Naruto so worried? It was just a book. No need to get like that._ **He just wanted to make the first task! **Her inner-sakura said, making Sakura agree. _But why a simple task? It's only to get the book he reads… Maybe I should've waited the other task to know what to do._ **Hell yeah you should! This is sooo easy! Really… And you call yourself intelligent? Don't make me laugh! **_Geez… I only thought of this now… _

"Yo!" Kakashi-sensei said from the top of the three, making Sakura jump. She looked at the teacher and saw he had the orange book open. Was that book she should get? Sakura thought. She couldn't see why Naruto was so worried. The book had a prohibited sign on the back and in the front you could read 'Come Come SPECIAL Edition'.

"Ermm…" Sakura now was speechless. Should she ask for the book? "I… wanted to… know if you could lend me the book?" She said quietly, swearing at her stupidity. She should've thought of this before!

Kakashi looked at her then grinned. "Oh?" He said. She nodded. "I..yes…You see, it's part of my…summer homework?" God… how lame could she get? Kakashi didn't say a thing but then his eyes held a glint of malice and he grinned some more. "I didn't know Haruno's daughter could be a pervert!" He said. Sakura looked at him confused.

"You know my mom? Perverted?" She asked, loosing track of her main goal. She didn't know him until the trip! He couldn't have met his mom!

"Yes… Your mom, Haruno-san…Quite a lovely lady I'd say," Kakashi said, making an expression Sakura didn't recognize. "You know her? From where?" Sakura asked. She never heard her mom talking about him!

"Now… Why would you want the book? You see… This isn't for girls like you," Kakashi said. He was having a great time teasing the girl, but he needed to finish that part when the main heroine puts her hand on the male's character -- err finish the book.

"I told you. Homework." Sakura tried again. "If you want… I could teach you homework," Kakashi said looking like he would burst from laughing. Sakura's eyes widened. Now she knew why Naruto was so worried about! He was a pedophile!

Kakashi saw the girl's eyes widen and he could just grin. So she had already bitten the bait? Kid's these day were so innocent. "I… I remember now that my friend has the same book! I'll…go ask him. Thanks, sensei!" And with that, she dashed to the other direction.

Ahh… Now he'd have the time to finish his book. For the twentieth time.

………………………………………………………………………

Gaara was walking with no direction when he found those annoying fuchsia paper. So bright.

_Find your cherry blossom. _

What does it mean? Was… the pink girl (aka Sakura) in trouble? That could be the only logic because her name meant that, right?

Now… to save a loud-pink-teammate (?).

………………………………………………………………………

"Really… So stupid. I could've been shopping now," The random girl said out loud. Tenten couldn't help but roll her eyes. They were looking for that damned black paper for hours and still no sign!

"Hey… Let's separate," Chouji said. Even thought he only knows how to eat, he can give good advice. Neji nodded. "Maybe we should be paired!" The girl said, already plotting a way to be with Neji-kun. Chouji thought for a while then decided. "I'm not good with strategies like Shikamaru, but it might work…" He said making Tenten wish to get Chouji! Please, anyone but not Neji!

"Then let's jaken…" The girl said, already making sure to look fixed at Neji's hand. Tenten sighed. She was never good with these games… Please, luck, come to me! She would always pray but it never worked. So she hoped for the best…

"One… Two…Three!" Chouji said. He had paper, Tenten scissors, Neji rock and the girl paper. "What now?" Tenten asked. Chouji did a thinking pose and then he smiled. "Let's make this fair and just once… Like me and her got paper, we go together. You and Neji go together," He said, taking the girl's bag, not noticing the pleading faces of both Tenten and the girl.

"Until Neji," Chouji saluted and then dragged the girl to the other side.

"We are together…again," Neji said. He didn't need to point the obvious, thought Tenten bitterly.

………………………………………………………………………

"I don't see why we can't separate… It would be the best," Kiba said after a while of walking. They had already found two sky blue papers but they didn't open to know what it was about. "Because that way we can make it fair," Shikamaru told him. Kiba had asked him the same question three minutes ago.

"But Shikamaru! Me and Akamaru could smell the papers if we separate!" Kiba kept complaining. "Yo… Dog breath! Would you just shut it?" Tayuya said. She was making such a great deed to the world when she had her mouth closed, Thought Ino sighing. "Hey! I'm just bored, flute-weirdo!" Kiba said referring to the flute she was carrying.

Tayuya went to Kiba and gave him a nice mark on his cheek.

* * *

"Lee! Oi, Lee! Idiot, wake up!" Sasuke said, trying to make Lee regain his consciousness. Why did he faint? What was so shocking? Shino and the trembling girl were already back he didn't even move. "Maybe we should leave him here?" The girl said. Even thought the idea was tempting, he couldn't do that. He still had his hero side. Besides, he wanted to know what shocked Lee so much. 

"Why?" Lee said, with crying eyes. He was back. "Nooo…my youth…my beautiful youth, so, _so_ lost…Come back to meeee!" She said, sobbing. Shino looked at him and gave up. His 'friend' was having a break-down and he could only watch. He wasn't a medic. He was a nature lover not gnome lover!

The girl slapped Lee so hard that even Sasuke felt the pain. "Would you make things understandable?" She said in a commanding tone. Lee was quiet for a moment. He opened his mouth but nothing came. He started crying again, making the girl slap him in the other cheek.

"Now. Tell us what happened?" She said, kindly. Lee nodded. "They…someone… _stole_ my amazing spring of youth spandex!" He said sobbing harder. "What will Gai-sensei say? He gave it to me with so much affection! I'm a disgrace to humanity! I shall never see the sun again!"

"Is…that…all?" the girl asked with flames in her eyes. The green _thing_ had fainted because of a spandex thing?

"No…I also found the next task. Here's my task," he said whispering. Sasuke thanked God that Lee had some usefulness. It's not that he didn't like Lee, but his youth was starting to rub him and he didn't want that!

"My turn…" Said Sasuke, tired of doing this.

_Kidnap Sakura. ---s- --- --r- _

What the fuck? He thought confusion all over his face. Sakura?

"I told you… Why! Oh why! I should've done this task! NOO! _my_ YOUTH! Now I'm without the spring to protect me!" Lee said, making the girl look away when she saw that Lee still had his green boxers on. "Common Lee, we must continue this…" Sasuke said. He was going to kidnap Sakura? Is there a double meaning?

"I must remain here. Without my spandex, I can't walk! I can't breath!" Lee said dramatically. "But you can talk?" The girl said with sarcasm. "You stay. Sasuke and I will separate. When we complete the task we return…" Shino said with his leader voice.

………………………………………………………………………

"Ah! Kurenai-sensei!" Sakura panted while grabbing Kurenai's sleeve. "What's the matter Sakura?" The teacher asked. She never saw Sakura so flushed. "Kakashi-sensei! He's…Kakashi-sensei!" She tried to say but nothing came. Kurenai observed and then remembered what Asuma told her.

"Sakura…And I thought you were intelligent? He was only joking," Kurenai told her understanding the problem. "But he! He!" Sakura tried again. "He was joking, I can assure you. He just wanted to read his book alone," Kurenai tried to make the girl calm down.

"Oh…" Sakura said after a while. Of course. Kakashi-sensei must have known of the task, no wonder he was almost laughing at her. "Then I must go and apo-" She didn't finish because she was lifted by someone who started running. Kurenai just heard a long screeched 'kyaa'.

………………………………………………………………………

Really… To find a cherry blossom. He liked the flower. He really did. In spring it was something to stop and look. But now? Gaara was walking thinking if he should complete such a task or think about it. Maybe there was a double meaning…Should he ask for help? He thought.

As soon as those thoughts reached his mind Hinata appeared from a bush quite flushed. Gaara's eyebrow rose. What was she doing there? When she saw Gaara standing there she almost had a heart attack. "Gaara-san!" She said, looking redder at the moment. "Thank God I found you!" She said happily. He gave her a confusing look. She then gave him a fuchsia paper brighter than the one he found.

_Kiss someone in front of you. _

He just looked at her with his eyebrow twitching. "What…do you want me to do?" He asked. Hinata became redder, if possible. "I…ehmm…I don't know. I just ran because when I found this, Uchiha-san was just coming closer," She explained. Ah…That's why.

"Uchiha-san? So when you started calling me Gaara-san?" Gaara asked, surprising himself; he was speaking and thinking too much today. "I…Sorry," She said with head down. "It's just that…You are Temari's brother and Naruto-kun is you friends…And I…" She tried explaining while her hands moved closely to her mouth. "…Sorry"

"Come one, Hinata…Chan" He said, while pecking on her cheek. She looked startled (and _very_ red) when she had her hand on her kissed cheek. "It was to kiss someone in front of me. And it never said where to kiss…" Gaara said, not liking this. He was explaining something.

Not a good day.

* * *

"Put me dowwwnnnnn!" Sakura shouted at whoever had kidnapped her. "Would you shut already woman? Jesus… If I knew you would cause such a problem, I'd suggest Ino..." The person said. Just by the voice she could make it was a boy. 

"Now… Stay put. You just need to stay with me for two more days," the boys said, sitting down. "Is this…a treasure?" Sakura asked, making herself comfortable. If she moved around, she'd loose energy. And she just happened to leave her bag aside when she found Kurenai-sensei.

"Yeah…Pretty much it," The boy said getting up, looking for some place to have his tent up – it was almost evening. She just nodded. When would someone rescue her?

"Sakura…" She heard someone call her. She turned and there was …Sasuke-kun? "What are you doing here?" She asked. "Now, come with me!" He said. "I don't want to…" Sakura said. Then, she didn't leave him a choice.

He walked to her, trying not to catch the other person attention. He bent down, gave Sakura a little kiss on the mouth and caught her bridal style when she became rigid from the kiss.

_Kidnap Sakura. Kiss the girl._

…

Yes… The day was definitely worse. He got kidnapped by the boy! And now he was stuck with Sakura.

_

* * *

Kidnap Sasuke. That was team one task. Then they changed to __Kidnap Sakura. _But now they returned to the first mission. So… now they just needed to get together, find the others tasks and wait for the competition to end. And… They already had another task: That was team one task. Then they changed to But now they returned to the first mission. So… now they just needed to get together, find the others tasks and wait for the competition to end. And… They already had another task: 

_Find a green spandex _

**

* * *

A/N:** Where was I? _Sorry_ for the wait. Here's the long waited chapter, I guess… The continuation will be out asap! What did you guys think?  
_ps:_ Come Come SPECIAL Edition – mine (the volume before Icha Icha vol 9)  
_ps2:_ Should I give Shino a girl? I mean, look how much talk he did this chapter! And what about Chouji? Lee? 

**MUST READ: **_Elite_ – my newest fic. The summary is crappy, but it features our couples with some wicked troublemakers twists!

Thanks for the reviews! I love you guys! More than _100 reviews_ in just 5 chapters? I'm a lucky girl D! **Thanks **to;  
_luv hate it, left-alone, MisSs005, pei-chan, Mrs.Uchiha, lunarangel, crasiness, Aitashiaku-kawaiiSasuSakuAi, Kikitare, BlAcK silhouette, luvKaWaIi, daydreamer53221, KaTLeYa KaSSaNdRA KaReN LiN _

_TriGemini:_ you know you are my light? I so love reading your reviews. I feel loved! Thanks for believing!  
_RedLotusNin and IceHunterNin:_ I think I managed to change the Hinta for Hinata. Thanks for telling me.  
_Munchy:_ what is confusing?  
_YingYang-chan:_ really, I try o fit the humor...but thanks

**BEWARE:** fluff coming soon


	7. Worse II

**0****7. Worse II**

Shikamaru was sure something was not right in that 'friendly competition'.

First, Tsunade wanted them to be in a group from the other school. And that's not a good choice if you want your school to win.

Secondly…

I admit. I just lost a good cause. I'm addicted to yaoi and can't write a paragraph without thinking how this fanfic is not right.

Not that I don't like my fics, or have anything against the pairings I was writing. But I just can't continue.

So, if you are **interested in **_**adopting**_** PWH**, then you must find out what is 'wrong' with the competition. In the past chapter there are some clues, so if you get it right (or close to it) you win this! (and if no one get this right, then I'll have the first author who asked to own it.)

Thanks for the love you guys showed me along the updates! And don't worry, I'm slowly writing a naruto-centered fic (in my opinion it is really good winks, so if you are interested, check my profile xD).

Manuca


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